Anelka Made a Gesture Offensive to Some

Nicolas Anelka made a gesture called a quenelle after scoring on Saturday. He had two goals in West Brom's 3-3 tie against West Ham.CreditCreditIan Kington/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

By Jack Bell

Dec. 28, 2013

Add Nicolas Anelka to a list of soccer players who have made gestures on the field that could be interpreted as offensive.

On Saturday, as his West Bromwich Albion club played to a 3-3 draw with West Ham United, Anelka reached across his body with his left hand and touched his right shoulder with the arm stretched straight down, an action called a quenelle.

The gesture, which was made popular first in 2005 by the French comedian Dieudonne M’bala M’bala, is viewed by some people as being anti-Semitic. Anelka made the sign after scoring West Brom’s first goal on Saturday, in the 40th minute. He followed with a second goal before halftime.

The salute, which has been associated with France’s ultra-right wing National Front, has been used in the past several years in front of Jews’ buildings or places that have significance to Jews, like museums. Some see the quenelle as a reverse Nazi salute, and it has been described as anti-Zionist and anti-Israel. Dieudonne has said the gesture is antiestablishment and is not meant to slur Jews.

After the match, West Brom’s Coach Keith Downing said that both he and his 34-year-old French striker was taken aback by the reaction.

“I’m aware of it, but it has got nothing to do what is being said,” Downing said at his postgame news conference. “It is dedicated to a French comedian he knows very, very well. He uses it in his act and I think speculation can be stopped now. It is absolute rubbish really. He is totally unaware of what the problems were or the speculation that has been thrown around. He is totally surprised by it.”

Recently, two players — Paolo di Canio of Italy and Josip Simunic of Croatia — were criticized for their salutes after games that were seen as having fascist overtones. Simunic was suspended by FIFA for 10 games after a salute after a World Cup game was viewed as facisist. Di Canio, who was manager of Sunderland in England’s Premier League for a short spell, has been unapologetic about his political and social beliefs.

The sport has also experienced outbreaks of racist and anti-Semitic behavior by fans throughout Europe. Fans of teams with large Jewish followings, like Tottenham in England, have experienced opposing fans making hissing sounds, a grotesque emulation of the gas chambers at Nazi concentration camps, during matches. Spurs fans were met by the sounds at a match in Rome and in England against West Ham.

Numerous black players throughout Europe have been the targets of racist taunts from fans throughout the continent. One involved the American international striker Jozy Altidore when he was playing for AZ in the Netherlands last season.